Electronic devices, such as electronic information storage apparatuses, which include hard disk drives, are commonly used for storing and retrieving digital information. For example, hard disk drives utilize rapidly rotating discs or platters coated with magnetic material to store information. The discs and other electrical components essential to operation are contained within a housing of the hard disk drive.
Often, the housings of hard disk drives are hermetically sealed to keep contaminants out of the hard disk drives and to maintain an environment within the housing that promotes performance and reliability of the hard disk drives. For example, the housings of certain hard disk drives are hermetically sealed to retain an inert gas (e.g., helium) within the housings.
Traditionally, hermetically sealed housings of hard disk drives include a base with a cover welded to the base by a weld bead, which provides the seal between the base and the cover. Handling of hard disk drives may cause damage to the weld bead. For example, as a hard disk drive is installed into a network server, the weld bead may be damaged due to impacts with the network server. Damage to a weld bead may cause gas within the housing to escape from the housing into the environment and allow contaminants to enter the housing.